Steel Box Made for Richard Wistar

Object Name: 
Steel Box Made for Richard Wistar

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Object Name: 
Steel Box Made for Richard Wistar
Maker(s): 
Place Made: 
England, West Midlands, Birmingham
Accession Number: 
91.7.5
Dimensions: 
Overall W: 5.9 cm, L: 12.7 cm, Th: 2.1 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
1756
Credit Line: 
Gift of Mrs. Frederick C. Tanner in memory of Vincent D. Andrus
Web Description: 
This box is engraved with the equipment of Wistar's two businesses. He manufactured both brass buttons and glass.

More Info

Department: 
Early Modern
Provenance: 
Andrus, Vincent D., Former Collection
Tanner, Mrs. Frederick C., Former Collection
1991-05-30
Category: 
Early American
Color: 
gray
Technique: 
hand-formed and engraved with a chasing tool
Inscription: 
Rich d Wistar(block)/Philadelphia(in script),1756
Stamp
: 
in rectangle in center in script
T.SHAW
Stamp
: 
near one end

Description

Primary Description: 
Small rectangular steel tobacco box, almost oval in section. Made of two parts which slide sideways to open. Made of sheet steel, tooled, brazed. The bottom section is perforated with hundreds of small holes, to allow the tobacco to "breathe". The top is finely engraved with scenes of a glasshouse furnace and tolls, and a button making apparatus. Engraved is the name "Richard Wistar" and the date "1756". On the back, in small engraved letters, is the name "T. Shaw".

Exhibitions (3)

Wordly Goods: The Arts of Early Pennsylvania, 1680-1758
Venue(s)
Philadelphia Museum of Art 1999-09-14 through 2000-01-19
Independence Pursued: 17th and 18th c. American Glass: Amelung
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass 1976-05 through 1976-11
 
Title Unknown (Corning Museum of Glass)
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass 1976 through 1976

Publications (4)

Worldly Goods: The Arts of Early Pennsylvania, 1680-1758 (1999) illustrated, p. 204, illus; p. 231, #439; BIB# 63483
Recent Important Acquisitions, 34 (1992) illustrated, p. 136, #23; BIB# AI30154
Recent Gifts Enrich Collection (1991) illustrated
The Wistarburgh Glassworks : The Beginning of Jersey Glassmaking (1976) illustrated, Fig. 3, p. 6; BIB# 19317